Montgomery County, PA

 

NORRISTOWN — The Montgomery County Commissioners were able to accomplish much in 2008, the first year of the current administration, including the adoption of a no-tax increase budget in the face of declining revenues due to an unprecedented economic melt-down.

 

This was achieved, in part, by requiring department heads to submit budgets for the coming year with a substantial reduction in expenditures over last year. The budget also included a savings of $4.2 million realized by switching employee health care coverage to an HMO plan.

 

Despite the need to cut spending, the County was able to balance the budget without layoffs.  There will be a reduction in the number of County employees through attrition and a hiring-freeze that went into effect in September will continue through at least March of 2009.

 

In the midst of the economic crisis, Montgomery County emerged with two proposed programs that Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews and Vice Chairman Joseph M. Hoeffel say will leave it well positioned to speed the process of economic recovery and take full advantage of promised federal and state spending on infrastructure improvements.

 

A new 10-year transportation improvement program advanced by the Montgomery County Planning Commission will likely go to voters in the form of a referendum in the coming year.  In the meantime, the Commissioners are considering jump-starting the $150 million program from existing capital funds to give examples of the types of critical local projects that can be completed.

 

Also, an appointed task force comprised of over 30 local business, government and education leaders recommended a new economic development policy to the Commissioners.

 

The seven-year proposal calls for spending $105 million on four areas of priority: revitalization of older communities, redevelopment of commercial/industrial properties, increased workforce development and more simplified local government regulations.

 

Montgomery County Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews and Vice Chairman Joseph M. Hoeffel voted to accept the task force recommendations. Commissioner Bruce L. Castor, Jr. voted against the recommendations.

 

In addition to meeting new challenges, Montgomery County has continued open space preservation and recreational trail development through the popular Greenfields/Greentowns program that voters overwhelmingly approved in 2003.  The program most recently provided a portion of the funding used to preserve the Angus Tract, a 98-acre portion of the sprawling Erdenheim Farm.

 

The popular open space preservation program purchased the development rights of 296 acres of farmland and, in cooperation with local municipalities and non-profit organizations, bought 219 acres of open space outright.

 

The Commissioners also opened another 2-mile segment of the Schuylkill River Trail, from Oaks, where it intersects with the Perkiomen Trail, to Mont Clare.

 

It’s now possible to travel 25 miles from the village of Mont Clare to Center City Philadelphia. With this dedication, the Pottstown segment is the only remaining portion of the Schuylkill River Trail that needs to be completed in Montgomery County.

 

Another ongoing effort is the Community Revitalization Program, which awards $5 million in grants annually to stimulate selected municipal improvements.

 

And last, but not least, the Montgomery County Voter Services Department conducted two incident-free elections amid record turnout for the both the primary and general presidential elections.

 

Chairman Matthews said he is very proud of what this administration has accomplished in its first year, particularly being probably the only county in the Commonwealth with an adopted budget with taxes that are lower than they were in 2002.